Dear Alison,
the issue that I have reintroduced in the poem " Eh "
that I posted to the list, relates mainly to a poem
that I recently read in a poetry review .
The author of the poem in question is a person of my
acquaintance and my criticism (light, as I meant it)
was directed in a vague and generalized sense to him ,
to his repetitive formula employing this pronoun,
which megaphones a personal existential emotional
experience, (which only the “I” is more or less
granted permission to relate about and be trusted in
authenticity) filtered, again, through his
(authoritative?) eyes.
I myself have been repeatedly represented (against
my will and desire) in many poems of this kind,
using the “we” as a form of possessiveness (exercised
on me, I felt).
In fact, given my physical emotional and intellectual
presence in the “here and now” of those related
facts, those episodes would have been reported in a
different fashion altogether , had I written them.
The quotes in Italic from me were misleading devices
working towards the poet’s project of making his own
poetics ( it is such a complex universe to be
constructed, implying mythologies).
In these particular cases, I would relieve or better
dispense, authors from necessarily wanting to drag in
the " other " in ones “narratological” plans.
You have good reason to criticize my attacks on this
particular issue , though, since I am always on the
verge of sounding too dogmatic. You are right in what
you say about the first person narrative voice. It
could be seen as the only desperate thing remaining,
in a desolate world of ones own.
Ciao, e grazie, Erminia
--- [log in to unmask] wrote:
> >what I mean to say
> >with the word “pathetic”
> >is exactly that he
> >does not speak in the singular
> >that he assumes on himself the responsibility of
> the “we”
>
> Erminia
>
> To be stuck in the "I" is the particular dilemma of
> post-modern post-capitalist post-whatsit society.
> Perhaps it's about time to start considering the
> "we" again: what is held in common. How? I don't
> know...
>
> Arms, legs, eyes, birth, death, a popular and
> stubbornly held belief against contemporary
> scientific wisdom in the human agency of choice...
> The I is an easy way out. Well, it's the only
> choice we're given.
>
> A
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
|